Transformation of Destination Marketing in the Digital Age
A Case Study of the Country Destination Brand "Wonderful Indonesia" Toward the Mission of 20 Million International Tourists in 2019, with an Example of the German Market.
This is my MA dissertation, completed as part of the requirements for a Master of Arts in Creative Communication & Brand Management at Hochschule Pforzheim.
Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Elke Theobald | Second Marker: Prof. Richard Linxweiler | Year: 2017
Over the decades, tourism has become one of the fastest-growing economic sectors worldwide. In 2015, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) recorded over one billion international tourists (UNWTO, 2015), highlighting the immense potential for the tourism sector to continue its growth trajectory, particularly in Indonesia. The explosive growth of digital technology has changed the way people live, and in the current digital age, a wide range of communication channels is used to market travel destinations, providing potential tourists with unlimited access to information and numerous choices of travel destinations (Kotler et al., 2017, p. 44). Consequently, the competition within the travel industry has become tighter and more challenging for Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) (Pike, 2004, p. 1). This research aims to provide recommendations and answers to the above-stated situation by examining the readiness of the tourism sector in Indonesia.
The proposed research questions within the scope of this Master's thesis are:
1. What are the characteristics of tourism in the digital age, and how prepared is the tourism sector in Indonesia for these changes?
2. How can the current marketing strategy of Wonderful Indonesia be strengthened to develop an integrated and comprehensive marketing plan that draws the attention of international target groups and helps achieve the mission of 20 million tourists in 2019?
This research aims to thoroughly understand tourism in the digital age and its effective and efficient destination marketing strategies, primarily for DMOs in developing countries and specifically for the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Indonesia.
If you are interested in reading this dissertation, please contact me.
